70,000 criminals jump bail a year

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Almost one in eight bailed defendants fails to show up in court, including one in ten of those accused of violent assaults and 5 per cent of sex offenders.

Tory justice spokesman Edward Garnier, who obtained the figures through Parliamentary questions, said the results were 'intolerable'.

Not coming back: Almost 70,000 prisoners jumped bail in the space of a year

He warned that the police were unable to make catching bail bandits a priority because they are overburdened by red tape, while jail overcrowding was putting pressure on courts to give dangerous offenders bail.

Ministry of Justice figures showed that of the 562,000 suspects granted bail in 2006, a total of 67,200, or 12 per cent, failed to return to court.

Police chiefs warned recently that many offenders given bail before sentencing are going on 'crime sprees', knowing that they face prison anyway.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said stricter bail rules had been introduced for defendants charged with the most serious offences.

Ministers are to launch a consultation on bail shortly.